March and April Journal Update

Mike Mock rapping off Rock Springs Buttress



 



RSB lap 2 with Werner

Werner Lap 2

 

After a few months of inactivity, I feel it time to update the historical journal of good times in the out of doors. The real highlight of the last two months was the arrival of my little princess Sullivan Ruby Brown. A healthy girl born on 4-13-13 in the Jackson Hole Hospital at 2:30 in the afternoon. Kristeen and I are overjoyed with the new addition to our family.

As for the climbing and skiing stuff (boring compared to the aforementioned event), I had a relatively good run of things considering the tenuous medical event, it's buildup and the current recovery/adjustment period.

A minor list of good stuff done in March and April:

**Three laps on rock springs buttress

**About 30 laps on Mount Glory with nearly every snow condition imaginable

**Likely 25 laps up Snow King. About half of those in running crampons

**Countless laps in the barn on the dry-tooling tower

**Plenty of post winter ranch cleanup

**Loads of good work days working on a wine cellar and the addition we are about to begin

 

Zion Mancation

Bridge Mountain aka the Sand Teton

About a month ago, I set off on my "last trip before the baby". My buddies Tyler Phillips and Robbie Colbert have been going back again and again to Bridge Mountain to work on this fine route called the ACL Arete. These guys have established a vertical crag to the top of the "good rock". In the lower ten pitches, there are about thirteen or fourteen stellar pitches from which to choose with chain anchors, excellent "sport climbing", enjoyable dihimney climbing, slabs, patinas, and well placed stance belays.

Another fine day in Dubois

Went to Dubois again. I guess I can't stay away. We had a great crew and the ice was fabulous. Pro Snow Machiner (hope I got that right), and super pro photographer Todd Williams came along for the fun and He was gracious enough to pass along a bunch of photos from the fun. What a great day climbing wiht fun people. Take the time to check out Todd's website. There are some really varied and amazing images on there. Careful though, you might get sucked in!
 

Todd's Website: http://www.toddwilliamsusa.com/





Check out the sport routes! Photo: Todd Williams

DRY TOOL WEDNESDAY

For the last few months I've been holding a social climbing event here at home in the barn. We have been climbing the "plyice", doing twelve-ounce curls, telling lies and planning trips for real climbing. This Wednesday, my buddy Alex Simpson shot some great photos of the cave simulator. Alex is studying photography at Parsons in NYC.

 

Enjoy the photos 

Jackson Rando Race Prep

Transitions transitions transitions Photo: Kristeen Hand

Disecting an 80-Foot Whipper

...That could have bisected my buddy

Mick leading "Moonrise" in WI 5 condition

A week and a half ago, I went to the ever-pleasant "South Fork" just outside of Cody to find big frozen ice formations, climb them, drink beer with my buddies, and overall have a good time climbing. We managed all those items and on top of that, we discovered that a ten centimeter "stubby" ice screw will hold a huge fall.

I thought a lot about not telling this story. I thought about not telling my wife about it. I grew up climbing in the "leader must not fall" camp of traditional climbing philosophy. All you ever hear (and for good reason) about ice leading is that the leader must not fall. I'm finding that most ice climbers I know only have one lead-fall experience or none at all. On this crazy day, I witnessed a huge leader-fall and when I say eighty feet, I'm not exaggerating. It could have been more! Embarrasment is the real reason I didn't want to tell this story but the more I thought about it, the more lame that sounded to me. Mick walked away from this unscathed. We walked away from it with our eyes the size of moon pies. Maybe you (reader) if you are an ice climber, will take away some added caution next time you are spiking up the gully above the pitch you just proudly dispatched. I know I will.

Great Gray Owl

Not skiing related...

For the last month or so, at least one Great Gray Owl has been lurking around our house. I've captured a few ok photos given that I don't have a telephoto lens. This morning I go particularly lucky and caught "Lady Gray" on top of the flag-pole in really good light.

Good info on these birds can be found here:
http://www.owlpages.com/owls.php?genus=Strix&species=nebulosa
Enjoy: